


A Heart Bond's first step on Adventure

by Sailorsenshiringo



Series: Heart Bonded [3]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-29
Updated: 2014-11-11
Packaged: 2018-02-19 06:21:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2378018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sailorsenshiringo/pseuds/Sailorsenshiringo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Chronicles of The Shire, Written by Chief Scribe of Erebor: Ori the Wise<br/>Bond strength: Often measured by the amount of emotions shared between the Heart-Bonded. This often starts after the couple’s first kiss, but ocationally starts prior to this. It has been known that a strong childhood friendship that involves a Heart-Bond’s dream-bond can lead to an early bond strengthening. (Now Bilbo and Thorin, plus the company are headed to Rivendell, what will happen?)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The morning of the adventure brought fourteen sleepy eyes out of hibernation, just through the smell of breakfast. Bilbo looked upon the thirteen dwarves and one wizard that looked into the kitchen with a mix of confusion and hunger.   
“Bilbo, my boy, what are you doing up so early?” Gandalf asked, leaning on his staff and standing in the doorway.   
“I needed to be a gracious host, and make breakfast for my guests, correct?” Bilbo asked, frying the bacon he had prepared for him two days prior.  
“Well, if you were your father, I would figure as such. Now your mother would make the dwarves fix their own meal.” Gandalf laughed.  
“Well, that’s not the way I wish to make my intended’s people view me.” Bilbo said, checking upon the biscuts that had yet to rise.   
“How would they view you, my Copper Jewel?” Thorin’s voice came from the other entrance to the kitchen.  
“As a lazy, no good host.” Bilbo said with a huff, still feeling the exhaustion from cooking for almost two days straight.   
Kili and Fili then walked in, “Lazy? I wouldn’t dare think you to be that Mister Auntie Boggins.” Kili said, straight faced, causing a small, low giggle from their uncle.  
“Never!” Fili added. “I swear on our choice weapons!” Underneath the joking demeanor both boys wore was a promise of duty, and an acceptance for the hobbit.   
“Oh, go make sure everyone’s up!” Bilbo said with a chuckle. “I’m sure you two could find quite creative ways to wake the rest of the company.”  
Kili and Fili both shot the other a mischievious grin. Then without a single word they ran off to wake the company.  
“More mischevious than a pair of Tooks, those boys are.” Bilbo muttered. Seemingly, Gandalf vanished, and Thorin was the only other person in the room.  
“I remember a certain hobbit that could have given them a run for their money.” Thorin said, snaking his arms around the smaller hobbit’s waist, and resting his head on Bilbo’s shoulder.  
“I wonder just who that would have been.” Bilbo said, a mock-inquisitive voice asking the question.  
“Oh, he was an adorable little thing, copper curls, and the brightest of eyes. He could trick even a Grubb into thinking corn could grow in the desert.” Thorin said, “The little one grew into the smartest of hobbits, and makes one very important dwarf less gloomy.”  
“Oh, so I get to banish the sulk?” Bilbo joked.  
“Not until we reclaim Erebor, then you can banish whichever facial expressions I wear that you deem ‘aweful’.” Thorin then stole a sliver of bacon and walked off into the dining area.  
Suddenly a loud thud was heard, and the angry voice of Dwalin yelling “You two stone-headed Durins!!!!!”  
Kili and Fili ran from the guest room hall, and into the kitchen with an angry, wet, and tired Dwalin chasing after them, brandishing his fists. Bilbo giggled at the sight, and wondered if they just were unable to wake the warrior, or if they had this planned out. “Boys!” Bilbo yelled over the cacouphony that was coming from the main room.  
“Yes Mister Boggins?” Kili and Fili said at the same time, and popped their heads in.  
“Get Ori, he was the younger one right? Oh dear me, get him and set the table, and wake anyone else who is asleep still….” Bilbo paused, “Just avoid having another one of them chase after you like a Hobbit without second breakfast.”  
Kili and Fili went to get Ori, who was indeed the ‘younger’ one, and muttered to themselves “what is second breakfast?”  
Bilbo stood, going back over everything, thanking whomever he could that his larders were empty. Then he started to load up his plates of food and placed them in a stacked position on his arm, when Balin entered the room, and noticed Bilbo trying, yet not succeeding on as few trips as possible to the dining area.  
“Master Baggins, please, allow me to assist you.” Balin said, reaching for the plate of biscuts, that were piled high.  
“Oh, no it’s no bother.” Bilbo grunted out, “I can, ah, figure this out for myself.”  
Balin then saved a bacon plate that was about to fall off of Bilbo’s arm. “I believe we shall be helping you, BIFUR, BOFUR, COME HELP MASTER BAGGINS.” Balin yelled into the other room, causing the other dwarves to come hurtling in. “Please help him set out breakfast.” Was all Balin said, when suddenly Bilbo was being lessened of his plates of food, as they disappeared into the dining area. At that time Ori, Kili, and Fili started to set the table, and Bilbo was relieved to see everything done, and the dishes he cooked with clean. Just one of those ‘clean as you go’ habits he was glad to have picked up from his mother.   
The company took to eating and sitting around Bilbo’s table quite quickly, and with ease. Bilbo, likewise, knew not where to place himself, and tried to seclude himself again. Because, his Heart Bond’s people or not, they knew nothing of him but a story. Bilbo, thus sat in the kitchen, eating off of a leftovers plate. Kili and Fili walked in and noticed the hobbit looking out of his garden window.  
“Mister Boggins?” Kili said.  
“It’s Baggins.” Bilbo replied, eating but not tasting the bacon.  
“Come join us, Uncle is getting a little worried.” Fili said straight to the point.  
“Boys, I no, not if I am to be accepted. I am not a dwarf, or like a dwarf, despite my stature.” Bilbo sighed. “I am not to be accepted, as my mother was upon her journey.”  
“Acceptance?” Thorin’s voice carried over his nephew’s mutters of “how could he think that?!”  
“Yes, Thorin,” Bilbo said, “acceptance, something I won’t get upon this journey.”   
“My Copper Jewel. We are not petty Hobbits. We are bound to our kin, and as the king of the dwarves, I can tell you that they will see you as I see you, if they haven’t already.” Thorin looked sternly into the orbs of Bilbo’s eyes.  
“Aye.” Balin said from the doorway. “Come join us Bilbo.”  
“Please, Mister Bo- uh.” Kili was elbowed by his brother and corrected himself. “Mister Baggins.”  
Thorin looked down upon him still, and the three other dwarves looked and tried to herd him into his own dining room. Bilbo then followed, and then realized that they hadn’t even touched the food. And Dori, as Bilbo thought his name was, looked scornfully at Nori, who was chewing so slowly it was hardly noticeable.  
“You didn’t have to wait for me..” Bilbo said.   
Dwalin then looked up. He grunted, and Ori smiled, “Master Baggins, you are one with us now, we must treat you as you deserve.”  
“Bilbo, please, and thank you.” Bilbo sat between Kili and Thorin, “It’s more than I’ve ever been considered by others in my life, except for Thorin’s type of acceptance.”  
All of the dwarves looked upon the Hobbit in confusion. Thorin, then realized that the poor hobbit had to deal with prejudice ever since the day he was given the bead.   
“Bilbo, what did they say and do to you?” Thorin asked, and then the conversation died down, and the eyes were on the hobbit.  
“This isn’t the time for that conversation.” Bilbo said. “carry on, My Dwarves, be merry. No reason to worry about a simple hobbit.”  
Thorin latched his hand on Bilbo’s under the table, as if to say “We will be talking about this later.”  
Then after the last fry-cake was eaten, and biscut crumbled, the company cleaned up. Bilbo stood in awe as they threw the precious dishes that was his mother’s in the air. Bilbo about crumpled, his mother being the only one who supported him, even as a fauntling. Yet, by some great gift, not a single plate broke and the whole company sang a joking melody, about breaking plates, and bending knives. Bilbo, then felt as if he were one of the Company of Thorin Oakenshiled.


	2. Chapter 2

They set off, with it still being very early for first breakfast. Bilbo smiled, but didn’t ride next to his Heart Bonded. Bilbo instead talked with Ori, Kili, and Filli. He needed to get to know the company, in this case from the inside out. Then, when a donning realization came upon him.  
“I’ve gone and forgotten my hankerchiefs!!” Bilbo yelled.  
“Don’t worry about it Burglar.” Dwalin said, “You’re going to have to leave without many things by the end of the journey.”   
Bilbo nodded, thinking he looked quite the spectical upon a pony, riding with dwarves and a wizard. Bilbo then attempted to imagine just what Bungo Baggins would have said to him about a situation like this. Only then coming up with “Dwarves are nasty creatures, why would one like to travel with them.” This thought caused the little hobbit to flinch, and Kili, Fili, and Ori looked over at Bilbo’s pained expression.  
“Master Boggins?” Kili asked.  
“Oh, Kili,” Bilbo faked a smile, and looked at the boys. “it’s nothing, just an unpleasant memeory.”  
The boys nodded and turned back to their conversation, in which Kili and Fili’s voice overpowered Ori’s on many an occasion. They continued like this throughout May, and as it became closer to June, the weather took a downfall. Rain pored and soaked each member of the company, causing every inch of them to be waterlogged.   
“Where’s Gandalf?” Bilbo asked Balin, who then looked around.   
“Wandering wizard, indeed.” Was all he said, and rode up to Thorin. Who looked as if he now had a reason to gloom about even more.  
“We’ll stop here for the night.” Thorin said, and then smiled lightly in Bilbo’s direction. “Bilbo, come here.”   
Bilbo then walked over to his Heart Bonded’s side. “Yes.”  
Thorin then reached down, and tucked a limp curl behind Bilbo’s pointed ear. “Why haven’t you been riding alongside me?”  
“I want to get to know the company, Thorin, I have no idea who a majority of them are, so I must get to know them somehow.” Bilbo looked up at Thorin, who was looking down upon him, frown on his lips, but eyes glittering with love.   
“Infiltrating my ranks then, my Givashel?” Thorin then touched Bilbo’s face, and Bombur then claimed that dinner was ready.  
“Take Kili and Fili their meals.” Thorin said, and let his fingers linger on the bowls, just to touch Bilbo’s.  
“I’ll be back.” Bilbo said, walking off into the forest, to where they tied up the ponies. Only to see Kili and Fili bickering.  
“Boys, dinner, and pray tell, what on Middle Earth is wrong?” Bilbo said setting the bowls on a stump.  
“This.” Fili put a finger to his lips to signal silence, and dragged Bilbo to a open area, that was well lit by a large fire. Yet, the travelers around the fire were far from friendly. Three monsterous mountain trolls were around the fire, and had stolen three of their ponies.   
“Can you go get them back, Master Boggins?” Kili asked and Bilbo looked around and saw that he should be able to, and then looked at the boys.  
“Go get your uncle. Tell him there are mountain trolls, and I have it under control.” Bilbo whispered to his Heart Bonded’s nephews.   
“Yes, auntie.” Fili said.  
Before Bilbo could get into the clearing, the boys were gone.  
“Mutton today, mutton yesterday, and blimey, if it don’t look like mutton tomorrer.” Said one of the trolls.   
“Never a blinking bit of manflesh have we had for long enough,” Another said, as Bilbo snuck forward, and over to the horses, to just see how they were corralled. The trolls were still bickering and Bilbo was appaled by their behavior and the way they acted, and wished to be very far away, indeed.   
Within Bilbo’s burgling moment he did get caught, and the other dwarves did too. But one thing that Belladonna The Clever taught her son, was to be ready to outwit any creature. And as the trolls faught over how to cook or prepare dwarves, Bilbo sat ready.  
“You’re going to need stronger spices, have you smelled this bunch?” Bilbo asked.  
The trolls looked over at the “burrhobit” and then one asked “What do you know of cooking dwarf?”  
“Well, nothing really, but I know to curb the deseases they might have picked up…” Then one of the trolls threw one of the dwarves to the side, and then went to pick up another. “I wouldn’t use that one, he has parasites… in his, uhh, tubes.” Bilbo said, looking at the dwarves, who, seeing as they were so thick sculled seemed to not look past what Bilbo was saying.   
“No we don’t!” several of the company choroused. Then, they seemed to wrap their heads around what was being done, and fought over who had the largest parasites, or most parasites. Then, in the nick of time Gandalf rose above them, on top of a cliff that was blocking the sun.  
“Turn to stone in the light!” The wizard yelled. Suddenly all three trolls turned to stone, and one by one the dwarves were freed. Thorin looked angry, but then noticed how vulnerable Bilbo looked at that moment.  
‘I’m nothing, not compared to the warriors that surround me. What was Thorin thinking by putting me with this bunch?’ Bilbo thought with uncertainty.   
“Little Copper Jewel?” Thorin asked, walking over to Bilbo, and as Bilbo looked up Thorin put his hand on Bilbo’s cheek. “Thank you for being brave, my little jewel.”   
“It was nothing.” Bilbo said, as he noticed Gandalf leading the rest of the company away. “We should follow Gandalf.”


	3. Chapter 3

Thorin turned a glare to the backs of the company that trudged ahead with the wandering wizard, and Thorin thus followed, that is after his hobbit took the lead. Bilbo smirked to himself and felt like a fauntling again.

“Throin I’m not a little hobbit anymore, I can handle walking behind you.” Bilbo said.

“Say that to your height.” Thorin mumbled jokingly.

“You know perfectly well that my stature is the norm for Hobbits Thorin Oakenshield!” Bilbo then turned around and poked his finger at the Dwarf King’s chest. “And you were even there when I came into my majority so there is absolutely no-“

“Bilbo, Thorin;” Gandalf said interrupting Bilbo’s rant. “I think you need to see this.” 

Thorin and Bilbo followed the wizard to the troll horde. There inside the cave was a dreadful smell, that Bilbo thought was worse than the dirty dwarves he travelled with. And saying that was profoundly amazing.   
“I think I’ll just stay out here.” Bilbo said and stood at the mouth of the cave, and Thorin went in, and came out with several blades.

“Elven made.” Gandalf said, and Thorin scowled and about threw the thing, when Gandalf pulled it from the case it for Thorin “You couldn’t ask for a better blade.” 

Thorin then looked it over and watched as Bilbo was handed his own blade.

“What is he gonna do with that letter opener?” Dwalin said looking at the small blade.

“Hopefully not hurt himself.” Thorin grumbled, when a loud crash came from the woods, and out came a man with bird poop in his hair riding a sled that was drawn by rabbits of all things.

“Radaghast the Brown!” Gandalf said, and the two wizards started talking about some darkness that was befalling the country, when the howl that the dwarves knew, and the hobbit new not of, was heard.

Oh, the rush of the other wizard Radaghast drawing the Orc pack away from the company, and Gandalf helping them play a rather akward game of hide-and-seek tag, being spotted by an orc, and somehow managing to make it to Rivendell? The Hobbit thought it to be exhausting and terrifying, but loved where they ended. Thorin and the dwarves, likewise, hated the idea of being in Rivendell, and around Elves, the worst of the worst.

“Gandalf!” A tall elf with brown hair and an easy smile says. 

“Lord Elrond, wonderful to see you again.” Gandalf says leaning on his staff.

“Well, please come in, we will get you all set into rooms, and serve food shortly.” Elrond begins, then smiles at Bilbo. “But I do have a question to why a halfling would be so far from home.”

“Well for one, I believe my mother did tell you that we are half of nothing at all.” Bilbo begins, and smiles, “But seeing as it is a great honor to meet a friend of my late mother, I am on an adventure.”

“In her name I hope.” Elrond smiles, then looks even closer at Bilbo and Thorin. “Well, possibly not then. You have a Heart-Bond that is stronger than hers…”

“Elrond, may we discuss this at dinner, I believe your guests are rather tired.” Gandalf then leads them off in another direction, apparently to rooms. The whole way there Thorin held tightly to Bilbo’s hand and Dwalin walked close to the two of them.

“I don’t want the hospitality of the elves, wizard.” Thorin says.

“Elrond knows that your disagreements are with his unsavory kin, but isn’t doing this in the name of Thorin Oakensheild. He is doing this in the name of Belladonna Took-Baggins The Clever.” Gandalf said opening a wing of a building to reveal very, hobbitlike surroundings. 

“Belladonna Took-Baggins The Clever?” Ori asked, “Bilbo is that your??” 

“My mum, yeah.” Bilbo said hand still latched onto Thorin’s. “Just accept it Thorin, I don’t want you to live in the wrath of another set of elves.”

Balin chuckled at that and Dwalin patted the King on the back, and Thorin just looked at the weary hobbit. “Are you alright?” Thorin asked.

Bilbo then looked at the ground, and felt as lonely as he did in Hobbiton in that singular moment. ‘You were the one to kill your parents, what’s the point in living here then? Will you live up to the Baggins name or forever be a failure?’ Lobelia’s voice rang through his head, and Bilbo happened to mutter “Just tired, and dirty.” 

Thorin then ordered for water to be drawn and Bilbo to be the first to bathe. Soon the bathing room was steaming and the tubs were ready to be used. Thorin then followed Bilbo into the bathing room, as if the hobbit was a boy again.

“We need to talk about this.” Thorin said as Bilbo stepped into the water, the serious tone destroying any other mood that could have happened.

“Talk about what?” Bilbo said shutting his eyes to the decadent water that eased his muscles. 

“What they, the other hobbits said to you when I wasn’t there.” Thorin said, and put his hand on Bilbo’s. 

“They said nothing of consequence. It was all things I’m sure was spread around long before I knew of it.” Bilbo said, grimacing. 

“That doesn’t mean that MY people will think of you in the same light.” Thorin said, rubbing his thumb over the back of Bilbo’s hand. 

“People are people, Thorin, they can be cruel no matter what their race is.” Bilbo at that moment seemed to have a grave response to everything within his mind, when Thorin touched his lips to Bilbo’s hand.

“That’s exactly all they are, people.” Thorin looked into Bilbo’s eyes, and Bilbo smiled.

“What did I do to deserve you?” Bilbo asked.

Thorin looked deeply into the hobbit’s eyes, and stated simply, “You lived.”

That statement sent Bilbo into an onslaught of silent tears. “You kept me safe, I owe you, I will always owe you my life.” Bilbo stammered through the statement, and Thorin stayed quiet. “Thorin, you’ve seen me in so many different lights, and I thought, when I was little that the Dwarf Prince’s love was his kingdom.”

“How naive of you.” Thorin chuckled, and smiled.

“Yes, and look at us now, this isn’t the least bit confusing. Being in this situation, and the others are probably wondering what we’re up to.” Bilbo looked down at the bubbles that were in the water, and the water discolored by the grime that covered his body.

“Well, they just don’t happen to remember us making bubble beards with each other, or splashing fights that wizards definitely got aggravated about.” Thorin said, rumpling Bilbo’s curls, and placing a flowery soap in it, to bring it to a silky lather. 

“Well, I dare say that you looked much better with a bubble beard than I ever did.” Bilbo said, arms crossed in mock anger.

“Well, one can only lose so many splash fights, and ruin so many tunics, to find out he is best dressed in bubble beards.” Thorin said running fresh water down Bilbo’s curls. There after every sud was washed away, Thorin’s favorite shade of copper shone brightly.

“Well, hopefully, since we didn’t do either of those things, we will make it to dinner on time.” And when Bilbo said that, a knock came on the door.

“Your Majesty, dinner is ready, I’ll wait for you, but hurry up!” Balin yelled through the door and Bilbo and Thorin giggled. 

Balin who stood on the other side of the door heard the giggle and wondered just what the future Consort and the King were doing in there. But when the door opened to find a quite normal, although clean, hobbit, and a Thorin who only hand clean hands, all of Balin’s thoughts went down the drain.

“This way then.” Balin said and Thorin and Bilbo followed, and Balin about fell over when he caught wind of their conversation. Mahal! It was about bubble beards, of all things! 

“You alright Master Balin?” Bilbo asked, and Balin laughed.

“So you two make bubble beards?” Balin about died laughing but somehow contain it.

“Well, we used to when I was a fauntling.” Bilbo said, Thorin grinning.

“Likewise,” The king said, “You should have seen our splash fights, they are things of legend.”

“And a wizards aggravation.” Gandalf’s voice came from behind them, “You are heading to dinner correct?”

“Yes.” Balin said, and Gandalf then took the lead, turning them around and down a hallway to a grand dining hall. 

There all of the company sat and Balin wanted to introduce the idea of their King making bubble beards with a little Bilbo, but thought against it. But at the head of the table was Lord Elrond. Gandalf lead the hobbit, and the Dwarf King to the seats beside Elrond. Beside Bilbo was Elrond’s twin sons, and Elrond’s daughter sat beside Thorin. 

“Now, before we discuss business.” Elrond began, grabbing food and placing it on Bilbo’s plate, “Bring me up to date on the situation with your, late, mother.”

Bilbo then tells the story, the story of a hobbit boy who finds his heart bond is a dwarf. And in the end, Thorin has his booted feet alongside Bilbo’s bare pair, and Elrond, is looking between the two. 

“A dwarf and a hobbit?” Elrond looked to Gandalf, “I see now what it means to be strong, and have a bond as strong as you both do.” Elrond looked again between the two. “Elves sometimes have the gift of seeing these bonds, as if they were a real thing between the two people involved. I happen to have this skill, and what generally looks to be a piece of thin translucent fabric, for you it is a gleaming fabric that looks to be made of opal.” 

Thorin looks at Bilbo and smiles slightly. “That’s beautiful.” Bilbo says, and Elrond nods.

“Now you wanted something Gandalf?” Elrond asked, and Thorin withdrew the map. 

“We wanted your help, of course for mere academic matters, Bilbo here is learning about the past of his Heart-Bonded’s home.”

“Well, this is Erebor,” Elrond said, looking at Thorin, “And yet I can see why you would teach Bilbo this, he needs to know of his beloved’s home. And I can see here it has moon runes. And again luck is with your company, this can and will be read tonight.”

Thorin looked shocked at Elrond’s cooperation and looked to Bilbo in wonder. Bilbo shot him a ‘not all elves are bad seee’ look, and Thorin replied with a ‘you win’ look that made the hobbit grin.


	4. Chapter 4

Elrond knew of all sorts of runes, and lettering that spanned Middle Earth. And, the simple gruffness of Bilbo’s Heart-Bonded led to Elrond inspecting the swords that they had gained in the troll-cave.   
“Well, Master Oakenshield, Master Baggins,” Elrond said, standing, looking upon the swords. “I can tell that these blades are of elven make.”

“That’s what Gandalf informed us about when we found them, what can you TELL us about them. Elf?” Thorin sat arms crossed. 

“Yours.” Elrond glared at Thorin, and Bilbo scooted closer to the Dwarven King, “Was made in Gondolin for the Goblin Wars. It’s name is Orcrist, or Goblin-Cleaver, which is how it translates from the ancient tongue of my ancestors. Master Oakenshield, this is a very famous blade, and it is a shame that I cannot keep it in my halls. Now, Master Baggins, your blade has no name, but comes from Gondolin as well. These must have come from a Dragon Horde or a Goblin Plunder. For these creatures destroyed the city of Gondolin many years ago. Gandalf, my dear friend, your blade is named Glamdring, Foehammer, and the kings of Gondolin wore the blade. I wish for the three of you to keep them well!” 

Thorin looked at his blade in awe and disdain. A Dwarven king wearing the blade of Elvish make? Impossible. 

Bilbo looked down at the non-discript blade, saddened that his did not hold the glorious past of the others. The poor hobbit only wished to be seen as an equal to his Heart Bonded. 

Gandalf looked not upon his blade, but at the two creatures that shared a strong, yet fragile bond. The wizard sighed. How could two people, so connected be so disconnected? 

“Now, Gandalf, Thorin, Bilbo, and I believe you wished to include the dwarf of the name of Balin in this discussion about the map you have brought to my halls?” Elrond said, breaking the moment of solitude and self-inflicted pity.

“Indeed” The wizard said, wisking the dwarves and the hobbit to the balcony where Elrond began setting a space for the map. All the while the Elven Lord sat and shook his head. Elrond did not approve of the Dwarven love of gold, or the foolishness of Dragon-Fighting, or even the wickedness of the fire breathing lizards. For the Lord of Rivendell still felt the sorrow for the grand trading post of Dale, and it’s beautifully toned bells that rang cheerfully through grey skies. 

Bilbo looked up to the sky, and back to Elrond. Belladonna the Clever would at this point scold not only her son, but the Elven Lord as well, on the premise of looking glum. Bilbo knew though, that his mother would never scold Thorin. Belladonna Took-Baggins of the Shire was a hobbit that knew when something was a lost cause. Bilbo sighed, and looked at the sliver of silver light that shined down from the waning moon. 

“Now, look upon from below, as I raise the map to the stars.” Elrond instructed.

Balin took his place in order to read the ancient languages of his people. “Five feet high the door, and three may walk abreast.” Balin read. “That part is in common language, now the hidden words…” The old dwarf squinted his eyes at the paper that Elrond held to the moon. “Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin’s Day will shine upon the key-hole.”

The Elf Lord looked at the Dwarf King in confusion. “And Durin is?”

“My ancestor. I am a direct decendent of his, as is my family the Longbeards.” Thorin said, clearing all confusion, while keeping his usual glare. “I am his heir.” 

“All right, but Thorin, what’s Durin’s Day.” For the first time Bilbo spoke up. The hobbit looked at his Heart Bonded fondly, attempting to rid Thorin of his glare.

“Durin’s Day, My Copper Jewel, is the first day of the Dwarven New Year.” Thorin said, softening his features so he didn’t look too offensive to his One, but offensive enough to offput the Elf. “It is the last day of Fall as it passes into winter.”

“Now that that’s cleared up, Elrond do you see anymore writing?” Gandalf asked the Elf.

“None to be seen by this moon.” Elrond said handing the map back to Thorin, who’s scowl had only grown more harsh.

Thorin and Bilbo took their leave last, as Bilbo spoke to Elrond about his mother.

“What was she like? I was but a faunt when she passed.” Bilbo asked the Elf.

“She was feisty, one that should not be messed with in her time adventuring.” Elrond said, “I don’t know what caused her to break her bond with Bungo, he was a rather charming fellow.”

“My father?” Bilbo asked, wondering just what he meant. 

“Yes, one and the same.” Elrond sighed. “You wouldn’t know of it, but Bilbo, you were born here in Rivendell. Your father came here as your mother was determined to take one last grand adventure before you were born.”

Bilbo looked to Thorin who looked as if he could kill the Elf for knowing Bilbo longer than the Dwarf King. “Well, that explains the odd baby blanket I carried as a small faunt.” Bilbo said, and Elrond nodded. 

“I understand that it’s been hard on you, loosing the family you hardily had,” Bilbo looked at Elrond as the Elf Lord said these words, “But you, Bilbo, you will become something wonderful. I must take my lead or else my children will come and cause mischief. Good night.”

“Good night.” Thorin and Bilbo said in unison. The Elven Lord smiled to himself as he left the two alone. It was extremely obvious that they were headed to the lonely mountain, and he hoped that the dragon sickness wouldn’t affect the Dwarven King, because if it didn’t, the two of them, Dwarf and Hobbit alike, would one day rule and create peace. 

Bilbo looked at Thorin who looked as grumpy as ever. Thorin in turn looked at Bilbo who looked as if Thorin’s grumpiness was causing him pain.

“We can do this, Thorin.” Bilbo said.

“Durin’s day, Bilbo. I doubt we will make it in time.” Thorin clutched his hand on the balcony railing.

“Tonight is midsummer’s eve, we have months to complete this task.” Bilbo huffed.

Thorin turned away from Bilbo, and Bilbo looked at the broad back of his Heart Bonded. “I’m going to bed Thorin.”

“Fine.” The Dwarf King said, his knuckles white from clutching the banister. 

With that Bilbo walked away. Eventually the Dwarf King made his way to the shared warmth of Bilbo’s bed. 

The next morning, though the large company disembarked. The shame of leaving behind a wonderful place such as Rivendell weighed heavily on Bilbo. In the coming weeks he’d wish for his home more and more, and wish to have the comfort that Rivendell gave him. But an adventure only ends when the problem has been solved, and it hasn’t yet….


End file.
